--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If at first you don't succeed-try, try…" description: "\"If at first you don't succeed-try, try again. Don't think of it as failure. Think of it as timed-release success.\" — Robert Orben" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/robert-orben-3864_failure_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-ag_1687970.jpg" --- # If at first you don't succeed-try, try again. Don't think… ![“If at first you don't succeed-try, try again. Don't think of it as failure. Think of it as timed-release success.” quote by Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/robert-orben-3864_failure_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-ag_1687970.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/robert-orben-3864_failure_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-ag_1687970.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/robert-orben-3864_failure_if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-ag_1687970.jpg) > “If at first you don't succeed-try, try again. Don't think of it as failure. Think of it as timed-release success.” [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages persistence by reframing setbacks as delayed success rather than failure. **In simple terms:** Keep trying; setbacks are temporary. Key Takeaway Persist and reframe failures as delayed wins. Themes perseverance resilience mindset Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career challenges - personal goals - skill learning - entrepreneurship Key Concepts growth mindset delayed gratification Questions to Reflect On - How can you celebrate small progress? - What does “timed‑release success” mean to you? A Different Perspective May lead to burnout if not balanced with self‑care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Famous motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-motivational/) [Humorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorists/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Motivational success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-success/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Think positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-positive/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Don't think of it as failure. Think of it as time-released success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/don-t-think-of-it-as-failure-think-of-it-as-time-released-success/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [Never think of failure, for what we think will come about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/never-think-of-failure-for-what-we-think-will-come-about/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [When we think of failure; failure will be ours. If we remain undecided nothing will ever change. All we need to do is want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/when-we-think-of-failure-failure-will-be-ours-if-we-remain-undecided/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [I think it's only failure if you put the word failure on it. I think it's part of the process of learning where you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/i-think-it-s-only-failure-if-you-put-the-word-failure-on-it-i-think/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [We are what we do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/we-are-what-we-do-excellence-therefore-is-not-an-act-but-a-habit/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-have-to-trust-in-something-your-gut-destiny-life-karma-whatever-2/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-hard-work/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-management/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [My brain . . . it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I sit there and have to face myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/my-brain-it-cannot-process-failure-it-will-not-process-failure/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [Their lives have been largely defined by failure and you would think the prospect of marriage, which is supposed to be bountiful and hopeful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/their-lives-have-been-largely-defined-by-failure-and-you-would-think/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [“You put yourself in a tight corner of failure if you think "it's only the rich that get richer while the poor get poorer".…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-put-yourself-in-a-tight-corner-of-failure-if-you-think-it-s-only/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The failure to think positively can weigh on a cancer patient like a second disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/the-failure-to-think-positively-can-weigh-on-a-cancer-patient-like-a/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [As an individual, I have no fear of failure... I think that translates on-screen in my performances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taapsee-pannu/as-an-individual-i-have-no-fear-of-failure-i-think-that-translates-on/) [Taapsee Pannu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taapsee-pannu/) > [“I don’t think anyone who tries something they love is a failure. I think it’s the people who don’t try who are failures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-culbertson/i-don-t-think-anyone-who-tries-something-they-love-is-a-failure-i/) [Kim Culbertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-culbertson/) > [The power to command frequently causes failure to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/the-power-to-command-frequently-causes-failure-to-think/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) ## More by Robert Orben > [Do you ever get the feeling that the only reason we have elections is to find out if the polls were right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/do-you-ever-get-the-feeling-that-the-only-reason-we-have-elections-is/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/i-always-wondered-why-babies-spend-so-much-time-sucking-their-thumbs/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [I may be forty, but every morning when I get up, I feel like a twenty-year-old. Unfortunately, there's never one around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/i-may-be-forty-but-every-morning-when-i-get-up-i-feel-like-a-twenty/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [Do you realize that in the past sixty years, the only foreigners the French have been able to drive out are American tourists?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/do-you-realize-that-in-the-past-sixty-years-the-only-foreigners-the/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [What bothers me about TV is that it tends to take our minds off our minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/what-bothers-me-about-tv-is-that-it-tends-to-take-our-minds-off-our/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [For Father's Day, my kids always give me a bottle of cologne called English Leather. It's appropriate! To them I always smell like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/for-father-s-day-my-kids-always-give-me-a-bottle-of-cologne-called/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [Never raise your hand to your children - it leaves your midsection unprotected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/never-raise-your-hand-to-your-children-it-leaves-your-midsection/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [President Ford used humor a great deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/president-ford-used-humor-a-great-deal/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [Nowadays, you cannot be a very Effective political figure without Having a demonstrable sense of humor. People take to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/nowadays-you-cannot-be-a-very-effective-political-figure-without/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [What if the meek inherited the Earth and we had to defend ourselves from Martians?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/what-if-the-meek-inherited-the-earth-and-we-had-to-defend-ourselves/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [I'd like to say a few words about one of the most popular concepts in the modern education--show and tell. Show and Tell is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/i-d-like-to-say-a-few-words-about-one-of-the-most-popular-concepts-in/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [My wife never lies about her age. She just tells everyone she's as old as I am. Then she lies about my age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/my-wife-never-lies-about-her-age-she-just-tells-everyone-she-s-as-old/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/illegal-aliens-have-always-been-a-problem-in-the-united-states-ask/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [These detective series on TV always end at precisely the right moment-after the criminal is arrested and before the court turns him loose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/these-detective-series-on-tv-always-end-at-precisely-the-right-moment/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [The Playboy Calendar this year has some tiptop models. Any more top and they'd tip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/the-playboy-calendar-this-year-has-some-tiptop-models-any-more-top/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) [Explore all 120 Robert Orben quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If at first you don't succeed-try, try again. 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